As is well known in the art, cutting inserts for metal cutting operations and particularly for roughing and finishing in one operation, are retained in insert pockets by fastening means such as securing screws. The cutting inserts have to be positioned accurately in the cutting tool in which they are retained, particularly in the axial direction, for increasing the lifetime of the cutting inserts and for a smooth surface finish of a work piece. Adjusting the location of each cutting insert may be done by an adjustment screw.
Face milling cutters with adjustment devices are well known. The position of a cutting insert secured to the cutter can be adjusted axially by screw rotation of an adjustment screw, which can effect the movement of the cutting insert, the securing screw, or an additional device such as a wedge or a cartridge. Threading the additional screw to the opposite direction results in adjustment of the position of the cutting insert axially in the opposite direction. A securing screw has to be tightened to secure the cutting insert in place after the cutting insert has been adjusted. The process can be time consuming and less accurate, as the securing screw can further communicate with the axial adjustment of the cutting insert.
PCT Patent Application Publication No. WO2007/058513 discloses a cutting tool including a pocket portion to which a cutting insert is mounted, and a screw for finely adjusting the position of the cutting insert fixed to the pocket portion of the tool. The screw has a head portion, a threaded portion, and a portion for connecting the head portion to the threaded portion. The pocket portion has a bottom surface with a screw hole formed thereon into which the threaded portion is fastened. It also has a side wall including a surface for closely contacting the head portion of the screw. The head portion of the screw closely contacts and resiliently pressurizes the close contact surface of the pocket portion when the threaded portion is fastened into the screw hole. Furthermore, the screw is configured such that the head portion is pressurized by the close contact surface of the pocket portion. This displaces the central axis of the head portion in a direction opposite to the close contact surface relative to the central axis of the threaded portion when the screw is fastened into the screw hole of the pocket portion, adjusting the cutting insert. After the adjustment is done, the cutting insert is mounted by other means not shown for fixing the cutting insert to the pocket portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,014,393 discloses a prestressable and fastenable cutter insert by means of a tension screw with its bottom surface against a seat surface such that it is supported with lateral wall sections in a positionally fixed manner on a cutter support. The clamping and adjustment apparatus has an adjustment wedge which can be actuated by means of a pressure screw in a direction that extends essentially parallel to the seat surface. After the cutting insert has been adjusted to its dimension, the cutting insert is fastened using the prestressing and fastening apparatus in its final position.